Alan Jones breakfast show review ordered as 2GB bosses look to shore-up takeover deal
A review of Alan Jones’s breakfast show has been ordered by Macquarie Media as all 2GB staff, including presenters undergo compulsory “behaviour workshops” in an effort to change the company’s workplace culture.
NSW
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A review of broadcaster Alan Jones’s top rating breakfast show has been ordered as owner Macquarie Media today recommended shareholds accept a takeover offer from Nine Entertainment.
Chairman Russell Tate wrote to advertisers promising a review of Jones’s show that would extend to every program on 2GB and 4BC.
All Macquarie Media staff including presenters have also been ordered to undergo a compulsory “values and behaviour workshop” in coming weeks as the company aims to positively change its workplace culture.
Staff were told of the workshop in an email from CEO Adam Lang earlier this month which outlined the company’s aim to positively change its workplace culture and allow people to “feel safe, supported and productive”.
“The purpose of these workshops is to enable you to understand and role model acceptable behaviour in the workplace,” Mr Lang wrote.
“These two-hour sessions include opportunity for open discussion to act upon the best ways we can keep building a better work environment”.
Mr Lang also told Macquarie Media employees the workshops were aimed at building a “workplace culture” that achieves the company’s mission.
The review of Jones’s program comes after the broadcaster said New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern should have a sock shoved down her throat. Jones apologised on air and to Ms Ardern for the comments, which he said had been misrepresented.
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Mr Tate wrote to advertisers today saying the comments “fell below the community standards expected of us as [a] broadcaster.
“This incident has brought into sharp focus the need for all Macquarie Media broadcasters to ensure that the debate they bring to the microphone and the words they use are, at all times, respectful and reflect the standards expected today by our listeners, our clients, and the wider community," he said.
After Jones’s comments were aired 2GB advertisers were targeted by social media activists Mad F***ing Witches and Sleeping Giants Oz. More than 100 brands are understood to have pulled their ads at a cost to the station of more than $1 million.
Today Mr Tate sought to allay their concerns. "Through this incident, we have experienced the ability of offended groups to greatly amplify their complaints and to actively disrupt you, our clients and your staff, who have done no more than seek to engage with the audience which chooses to listen to us," he wrote in the letter.
"Of course, we have seen valued commercial partners withdraw from Alan's program, but the fact is we got it wrong in the first place and we must now do everything possible to ensure that doesn't happen again," he said.
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"To that end, we have already commenced, with Alan's encouragement and support, a full review of the 2GB/4BC Breakfast Show's content, presentation and controls with a specific focus on audience and guest/third party engagement. That review will extend into all 2GB/4BC programs."
Macquarie Media this afternoon issued a statement to the stock market recommending shareholders accept the takeover offer from Nine Entertainment.
Following an independent report by PwC it said Macquarie’s directors “unanimously recommend that, in the absence of a superior proposal and subject to the independent expert continuing to opine that the offer is reasonable, you accept the offer to purchase all of your MRN shares for $1.46 cash per MRN share.”
In the statement issued to the ASX the directors warned the consequence of knocking back the offer was that the “share price may fall if the offer is unsuccessful”.
And it added: “There is no certainty that Nine or Nine Bidder will make another offer for MRN shares in the future.”
The offer expires at 7pm on 14th October.